


Hand of Fate (unfinished)

by Morgan_Dhu



Category: Xena: Warrior Princess
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-07-04
Packaged: 2020-06-03 16:14:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19467544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morgan_Dhu/pseuds/Morgan_Dhu
Summary: Without Xena, a mature Gabrielle has taken on the mantle of Warrior Princess.





	Hand of Fate (unfinished)

Hand of Fate

The setting sun glinted on the helmets and spear blades of the band of disciplined fighters, as they marched in tight formation along the dusty road behind their leader. Four files of twenty-five warriors each were ranged before the supply mules and wagons, and another century held guard at the rear. Clad in leather and metal from head to foot, mounted on a proud warsteed, the woman they called the Warrior Princess was leading her troops, and the treasure they had won in another summer's worth of fighting, homeward through the harvest-rich fields and blazing autumn forests. 

She eyed the elevation of the sun, and looked out towards the still-distant ripple of hills that marked the site of their winter camp; too far to make it home tonight. She signalled her troops to halt with a sharp gesture of her hand, sending the same message to her horse with a slight pressure of her leg. To a man, her soldiers stopped, as she wheeled her mount around to face them, and at another handsignal, the file leaders left their positions and began to parcel out the tasks of setting up camp in the small glade beside the road. Her men fell to their work with the speed and ease of long practice as she watched. 

Her second in command, after seeing that all was being properly attended to, rode up beside her, waiting to hear her commands. As he brought his horse alongside her, she pulled off her helmet, shaking loose the long, strawberry blonde hair that cascaded forth. 

"Lyceus," she said to her second. "You can led the men back to winter quarters from here. I have an errand to run." 

"The same errand you run every year at this time? You know I'm never at ease when you head off alone like this. You have enemies, Gabrielle." 

She laughed grimly. "I can take care of myself. Or had you forgotten?" 

"Oh, I know you can take on ten of me and win, but what if one of your enemies sends twenty of me after you? Or what if someone gets lucky? You're damned good, but you're only human. You can't always see everything that's coming at you, no one can, not even..." His voice quavered for the smallest fraction of a second, his eyes flickering closed against the long-passed but still remembered pain. Gabrielle waited; she knew the reason for the pain, felt it lance into her own heart as well. 

The shadow passed. Lyceus' eyes met hers again, once more smiling. "Take a squad with you as escort, just in case. Or if that's not to your liking, let me come with you." 

"You've always wondered where I go every year, once the fall campaigns are over," Gabrielle said, a small teasing smile playing on her face. "Admit it." 

"Admit that, like other every man in her warband, from the mule-drivers and cooks to the senior sergeants, I dare to wonder about the personal life of the great Warrior Princess? What she does during that one week in every year when she isn't being the Warrior Princess? Gods, Gabrielle, you'd skin me alive and toss what was left to the dogs if I so much as asked what you're doing. But I don't like it that you go alone, wherever it is that you go." 

"I'm sorry, Lyceus. I can't tell you. But I'll be careful. I always am. You're not going to lose me, too. I promise."


End file.
